Water Friendly Landscapes Wetland Opportunity Areas

Ock Invasive Non-Native Species

Catchment Project Species Project

Join our volunteer programme and help us assess the distribution of invasive non-native species across the River Ock catchment in Oxfordshire.

Dense clump of Himalayam Balsam with pink flowers along a riverbank, with clouds reflected on the water.

Help us improve the River Ock catchment for freshwater wildlife

Invasive non-native species can have a significant impact on freshwater wildlife. By improving our understanding of their distribution and putting in place effective management measures, this project will help protect freshwater biodiversity, contributing to a healthier, more resilient freshwater landscape.

This summer, you can help us make a difference by volunteering to map invasive non-native plant species in the River Ock catchment. Our volunteer training days will give you the skills and knowledge you need to accurately identify invasive non-native species, such as Himalayan Balsam and Rhododendron. Register your interest to get involved.

Register your interest in volunteering

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Mapping and managing invasive non-native plants

We will use species records to map invasive non-native plant species across the River Ock catchment. Working with our trained volunteers, we will survey those areas to confirm records, along with other selected watercourses and wetlands.

These surveys will help to verify existing records and identify new populations. This will help to identify priority areas for further survey and management, including creating an eradication plan for Himalayan Balsam and Rhododendron.

All records will be submitted to the local environmental records centre and used to develop a targeted action plan for the catchment.

The plan will guide future control work, including removal by volunteers and specialist contractors, as well as work with landowners to improve habitat management.

By taking a coordinated catchment-wide approach, we can ensure control efforts are effective and sustainable, particularly for species such as Himalayan Balsam, which require long-term management to prevent reinfestation.

Group of people crouching and kneeling on the ground, investigating plants.

The Ock catchment

The River Ock is a tributary of the Thames in Oxfordshire. The landscape includes several small villages and country towns, ancient woodlands, and rivers, streams, ponds, meadows and marshes, whose history can be traced back for 5,000 years.

Freshwater wildlife in the River Ock catchment is under severe pressure from pollution, drainage and climate change.

We’re working hard to change that. Freshwater Habitats Trust hosts the Ock Catchment Partnership: a group of  local organisations and individuals collaborating to restore and protect freshwaters across the catchment.

Woman's hand holding two test tubes of liquid, one dark pink, one light pink, next to a waterbody.

- Clean water testing in the Ock catchment.